This invention relates generally to planar or originally planar spring elements cut from or formed of generally homogeneous materials generally of uniform thickness, and more specifically to optimally designed planar spring elements properly engineered to minimize excess material and maximize useful lifespan.
Spring elements in the past have been commonly used to provide resilience, for instance coil springs, etc. used in cars, or in furniture, in mattresses or cushions wherein even torsion throughout the spring or group of springs allows it then to support loads within certain elastic limits generally axially aligned with the coils. This support is generally transferred to the floor or ground through some other additional structure extending horizontally and vertically. The use of relatively planar spring elements to provide both resilience and surface support integral in one element is relatively new and heretofore not well understood. One feature of this invention is that, as will be seen, the support provided can include additional support members extending from, yet integral with, these resilient surfaces to position the surfaces in furniture forms.
There is continuing need for simple, effective, and easily conformable posterior and lumbar support in furniture, such as chairs, sofas, etc. Curvilinearly slotted or contoured panels have been disclosed in the past, but they lacked required versatility, simplicity and ease of fabrication; also, they lacked an understanding of this type of support, sufficient peripheral support structure, and its relationship to the panel design to optimally distribute and transfer loading to furniture members. There is, accordingly, need for an improved spring panel that is easily produced, as by linear slotting, that relates properly to adequate peripheral support, and that provides a serpentine intermediate flat spring structure.